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CARE & MAINTENANCE OF STAINLESS STEEL
NEVER USE HARSH ABRASIVES OR STEEL PADS.
Regular washing using a soft cloth and mild detergent and rinsing with clean cold water is recommended.
Some commercial metal cleaners such as Brasso or Autosol can be used for polishing and stain removal.
"TEA STAINING"
The closer to the coast the higher the recommendation is for the application of a corrosion inhibitor
upon installation and at recommended intervals to reduce the incidence of marking. Lanolin based corrosion inhibitors such as Pro Lan and Lanoguard can be purchased
from most hardware stores or Super Cheap Auto.
BASIC PROPERTIES
When nickel is added in sufficient amounts the crystaline structure changes to "austenite".
Series 300 stainless steels (including G316 and G304)
are austenitic and are the most common stainless steels in use in the world today.
G304 (also know as UNS S30400, A2 or 18-8 stainless) is by far the most common and has
excellent corrosion resistance in a wide range of media. It resists rusting in most architectural
applications and is successful in chloride environments where exposure is intermittent
and cleaning is regular.
G316 (also known as UNS S31600, A4 or "marine grade" stainless) has molybdenum added for
higher corrosion resistance and is recommended for aggressive environments.
CORROSION
For further information on technical and general issues please refer to:
Australian Stainless Steel Development Corporation (ASSDA)
International Stainless Steel Forum
British Stainless Steel Association
A brown discolouration commonly known as "tea stainling" may also occur, especially in coastal regions.
There is no known cause for this and it can occur quite rapidly. It can be controlled
by regular maintenance and while it does not cause structural damage it is cosmetically unpleasant. Click on
"tea staining" for further information including recommended maintenance schedules .
TECHNICAL
Stainless steel is a generic term for a family of corrosion resistant alloy steels
containing more than 10.5% chromium. It has excellent weldabilty, formability, fabricability,
ductility, cleanability and hygeine characteristics. Good high and excellent low temperature
properties. Essentially non magnetic however can show magnetic properties
if not annealed after being cold worked or cast (as in fasteners and fittings).
The chromium in stainless steel causes a thin film to form on the surface giving stainless
its corrosion resistence. When this film is damaged by scratching or surface contamination
by foreign materials such as salt, pollution, metal filings etc. corrosion can occur. After
removal of rust marks the film self heals after a short period of time.
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